


The Rock of Ages

by Talyesin



Series: Aftermath on Finite Earths [18]
Category: DCU (Comics)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-17 06:39:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15455532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talyesin/pseuds/Talyesin





	The Rock of Ages

Earth-S  
Fawcett City

“Why are we wasting time here?”

Captain Marvel looked at his youthful longtime partner, Captain Marvel Jr. It was a quirk of the powers granted them by the wizard Shazam that Freddy Freeman, now grown to adulthood, reverted to his teenaged form when he spoke the word “Shazam,” while both Billy and Mary Batson had since childhood been granted adult forms in their roles as champions of good. As adults, they stayed adult; Freddy once again tasted the heady wine of adolescence… including youthful impatience.

“Patience, old friend. I want to find her as much as you do. The entire Squadron of Justice is looking for Mary.”

Captain Marvel Jr. punched the granite wall of the Rock of Eternity in frustration. The crash of his punch rang like thunder in the cavern. Captain Marvel lit the brazier to summon the wizard Shazam. Flickering flames played along the distorted features of the statues representing the demonic Seven Deadly Sins, giving them a mocking semblance of life.

“So? Where is he?”

Captain Marvel frowned. Shazam should have appeared by now. Normally lighting the brazier had the wizard appearing in seconds, almost instantaneously. “Something’s wrong,” he said finally.

“No kidding.”

Captain Marvel repressed a need to let out an annoyed sigh and said instead, “Freddy, I know you’re worried. She’s your wife, she’s carrying your child. She’s my sister. The baby’s my niece or nephew. I love them too. But we’ve been looking for weeks. None of Sivana’s old lairs holds any sign of them.” The wisdom of Solomon hadn’t been necessary to figure out who’d been behind Mary’s kidnapping. “We need help. But if the wizard can’t come to us when we summon him… Something must be preventing him from answering.”

“Or someone.”

“Who would have the kind of power to thwart the wizard?”

Junior thought about it. “There’s no one in the world who has the kind of mystical power required.”

“That’s it!”

“What is?”

“No one in the world – this world. It must be someone from one of the other Earths!”

“But it’s months until the next Crossover.” Once a year, it was possible to cross over to one of the other four Earths. It generally was a time that called for team-ups and celebrations between the various hero groups – the Justice Society, League, Sentinels, and Squadron, and the Freedom Fighters. The last crossover had all five groups teaming up to thwart Darkseid’s latest attempt to destroy Earth One.

“What if… while we were on Earth One, fighting the armies of Apokalips, someone slipped into our world?”

“It wouldn’t be the first case of immigration the Earths ever saw. Look at Red Tornado – created on Earth Two, spent some years on Earth One, went back to Earth Two.”

“Exactly.”

“But who?”

“We’re out of our depth on this one, Fred.”

“Billy, come on. We can handle this,” Junior said, though he didn’t sound sure.

“No, it’s too much - too big. Mary kidnapped, the wizard prevented from appearing? Even Sivana couldn’t have made this happen. We need help.”

“Think Ibis can handle it?”

“Bigger than Ibis.”

“But there’s no one… You mean someone from one of the other Earths, don’t you? But it’ll be months-“

“Not months, Fred. We can go right now. The Rock of Eternity exists in a place beyond time and space. From here we can travel to any other Earth.”

“Come on, really?”

“Really.”

“I don’t like the idea of leaving our world… of leaving Mary someone out there, alone.”

“That’s why I’m going alone, Fred.”

“Billy… I don’t like it.”

“We don’t have any choice, Fred. I’ll go get help, serious magical help. Dr. Fate, maybe, or Zatanna.”

“Billy, I don’t like this idea at all.”

“I know, Freddy. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Captain Marvel put one hand on Junior’s shoulder. “I’m leaving the protection of this world to you, Captain Marvel. Make me proud.”

Junior straightened under the responsibility of his charge, nodding. Stepping back, Captain Marvel gave his young partner a grin, then turned and flew off into the depths of the Rock of Eternity.


End file.
